While there have been plenty of incredible American crime series, you’d be doing yourself a disservice if you ignored the litany of amazing European shows that have come out over the years. Although not everyone will be accustomed to watching subтιтles, those who avoid non-English language series are closing the door on countless acclaimed shows and some of the best crime stories ever seen on the small screen. Whether it’s thought-provoking Nordic noirs or gritty Italian gangster stories, European TV offers so many shows to add to your watchlist.

Some of the best crime series of all time were produced in Europe and include cross-country collaborations that highlight the diversity of this vast continent. While some of these series have broken through on a global scale, others were underrated releases that are just waiting to be discovered by viewers worldwide. Although American TV series often dominate the conversation around the best prestige crime series, anyone who has slept on these European shows has been missing out.

10

Money Heist (2017 – 2021)

Country of origin: Spain

The Spanish crime drama Money Heist, also known as La casa de papel, was truly one of the most impressive heist stories ever seen on television. With sharp writing and constant clever twists and turns, Money Heist tells the story of a gang of criminals and their plot to steal €984 million from the Royal Mint of Spain, and the intricate details of their carefully laid robbery got more complex with each episode as the crooks planned for every eventuality. Through the use of flashbacks, an unreliable narrator, and a real-time style, the unique style of Money Heist meant you never knew what was coming next.

Money Heist was a gripping drama filled with fantastic characters and a great sense of humor, allowing it to become the most-watched non-English language series on Netflix in 2018 (via New Statesman.) The popularity of the series has endured beyond its three-season run with the recent spin-off prequel Berlin, although this did not receive the same kind of universal acclaim as the original series. With a fast-paced narrative that became more intense as the show progressed, as a viewer, I wish that I could go back and experience the excitement of Money Heist for the very first time again.

9

Tatort (1970 – Present)

Country of origin: Germany

While fans of long-running police procedural series like Law and Order and NCIS have been tuning into those shows for decades, few series can beat the longevity of Tatort. This German-language crime series has been airing continuously since 1970. With 30 feature-length episodes a year, Tatort is the longest-running German TV drama ever and has partnered with Austrian and Swiss broadcasters, with each contributing to different episodes. This cross-country collaboration showcases regional perspectives, dialects, and investigative styles, with Tatort acting as a reflection of the changing cultural language of the German-speaking world over time.

Tatort collects police stories from different regions, and its shifting perspectives are part of its ever-changing idenтιтy, with the city, more so than the police themselves, acting as the episode’s primary character. From episodes in the 1970s that take viewers on a journey into West Berlin before the fall of the Berlin Wall to later episodes set in modern Zurich, Tatort will offer something different to those accustomed to American crime dramas.

8

Lupin (2021 – Present)

Country of origin: France

The French-language crime series Lupin has been a hit with audiences and even broke Netflix viewership records back when the first series came out in 2021, coming out ahead of major shows like The Queen’s Gambit and Bridgerton (via EE Live.) Taking major inspiration from the stories of the French thief Arsène Lupin by Maurice Leblanc, Omar Sy starred as ᴀssane Diop, a gentleman thief who modeled himself after the classic literary figure.

Lupin followed Diop’s vow to avenge his father’s death after he was framed for stealing a diamond necklace and died in a prison cell, leaving his teenage son to fend for himself and later use his charisma and mastery of thievery, subterfuge, and disguise skills to seek vengeance. As an engrossing espionage series that acted as a worthy tribute to the works of Leblanc, Lupin has received universal critical acclaim and ranks as one of Netflix’s flagship French-language series.

7

The Åre Murders (2025)

Country of origin: Sweden

From crime film series like Stieg Larsson’s Millennium trilogy to political dramas like Borgen, plenty of Nordic releases have managed to break through and gain viewers from the United States and around the world. One of the most recent examples of this was The Åre Murders, a Netflix Swedish noir based on the Viveca Sten murder mystery novels Hidden in Snow and Hidden in the Shadows.

The Åre Murders stars Carla Sehn as Detective Hanna Ahlander, a police officer who finds herself investigating the case of a missing girl in the remote town of Åre. With a thrilling sense of mystery that also featured plenty of stunning sH๏τs of the Swedish countryside, The Åre Murders contained just about everything a fan of clever and insightful Nordic noir series could ask for. With season one clocking in at a swift five episodes, you won’t be able to help clicking continue watching on this highly bingeable series.

6

Karadayı (2012 – 2015)

Country of origin: Turkey

If you connected with the family dynamics and struggling loyalties seen in courtroom crime shows like Your Honor, then the Turkish TV drama Karadayı should be next on your watchlist. As a country caught between Europe and Asia, Turkey’s Karadayı blends old-school values with modern tension as a wrongful accusation results in Nazif Kara facing execution for a murder he didn’t commit. With a family in turmoil, Nazif’s son Mahir goes undercover as a trainee lawyer to do anything he can to stop his father from being hanged.

Karadayı brought together themes of family loyalty, deceit, and romance as the courthouse judge Feride Şadoğlu falls in love with the son of the father whose fate she unknowingly holds in her hands. While Karadayı is not well known to American viewers, how it captures both the beauty and criminal underworld of 1970s Istanbul gained widespread acclaim in other regions. One notable fan was Oscar winner Russell Crowe, who praised (via Sabah) the show and said that its co-star Bergüzar Korel had the talent to excel in Hollywood.

5

The Chestnut Man (2021 – Present)

Country of origin: Denmark

The Chestnut Man is a Danish crime series that began with the discovery of the murder of an entire family on an isolated farm in 1987 and explores how this connects with police work being done more than 30 years later. Set in present-day Copenhagen, when new killings occur and a strange figurine made of chestnuts is found at the scene, Detective Naia Thulin is ᴀssigned to the case and must find a way to work with her reluctant new partner from Interpol.

As a captivating detective series that slowly reveals its decades-long mystery, The Chestnut Man was packed with great performances and clever dialogue. With plenty of red herrings to keep you guessing throughout, The Chestnut Man was just as enthralling as any American crime series. Although the show wrapped everything up in its six-episode first season, The Chestnut Man looks set to return with some new cast members for a season 2 to be released in 2026.

4

Love/Hate (2010 – 2014)

Country of origin: Ireland

Love/Hate has been compared to an Irish version of The Wire, which should tell you everything you need to know about this must-watch crime series. Featuring an early performance from the future The Umbrella Academy star Robert Sheehan, as well as being a breakout role for Saltburn’s Barry Keoghan, Love/Hate was truly bursting with talent. Telling thrilling stories of crime and violence on the streets of Dublin, the show has been widely lauded as one of the best Irish television series ever made.

With an incredible ensemble of three-dimensional characters, Love/Hate was characterized by strong performances, great writing, and high production values. As an exploration of the rarely depicted criminal underworld of Ireland, gangster characters like Tom Vaughan-Lawlor’s Nidge become as well known in Ireland as icons like Tony Soprano or Stringer Bell in the United States.

3

The Killing (2007 – 2012)

Country of origin: Denmark

Although many American viewers might already be familiar with the AMC remake of The Killing, those who haven’t seen it would be doing themselves a disservice by not going back and watching the original Danish series. This Nordic noir classic revolved around Detective Inspector Sarah Lund, with each season following a different murder case and every episode being 24 hours of the investigation. With plenty of plot twists and mature writing, The Killing was a major contributor to Nordic noir series gaining widespread popularity around the world.

One of the most notable things about The Killing was that it devoted just as much time to the victim’s families and the ripple effects of the murder in the political sphere as it did to the actual investigation. This made for a more three-dimensional series that addressed the full scope of a murder’s impact, and that there’s far more to the aftereffects of a killing than police simply tracking down the perpetrator.

2

The Bridge (2011 – 2018)

Country of origin: Denmark/Sweden

While to some American viewers the differences between Nordic countries like Denmark and Sweden may appear insignificant, the opposing legal systems between these two countries served as the basis for The Bridge. As a mystery crime series that began with a body cut in half found in the middle of the Øresund Bridge, which connects Copenhagen with Malmö, the central conflict of this series was that the police investigation fell under the jurisdiction of both the Danish and Swedish police agencies.

The Bridge addressed fascinating questions of clashing culture and legal practices that offered valuable insight for United States viewers who will likely be unfamiliar with the intricacies of Scandinavian police work. Yet, the themes and ideas seen in The Bridge were also universal in their exploration of grief and justice in ways that transcend borders and resonate with audiences around the world. With great performances, clever dialogue, and plenty of interesting twists and turns, The Bridge kept its quality high throughout its acclaimed four seasons.

1

Gomorrah (2014 – 2021)

Country of origin: Italy

The Italian-language series Gomorrah was truly one of the best crime shows of all time and stands as a must-watch series even for those who normally don’t watch non-English-language series. With a strong sense of atmosphere, fantastic characterization, and engrossing pacing, Gomorrah can stand up against all-time great American series like The Sopranos and The Wire. Set in Naples in the 2010s, this series showcases the power struggles that take place as young gangsters attempt to take over from the old guard of the Italian mafia.

As a series loosely inspired by the Scampia feud, many of the characters in Gomorrah were based on real figures within the Italian criminal underworld. As a realistic and unglamorous exploration of a Neapolitan crime organization, Gomorrah offered a more gritty alternative to the classic gangster interpretations such as The Godfather.

Source: New Statesman, EE Live, Sabah